A Solar Buyer's Guide for the Home and Office: Navigating the Maze of Solar Options, Incentives, and Installers

by Stephen Hren, Rebekah Hren

Overview

Solar power, once a fringe effort limited to DIY enthusiasts, is now fast becoming mainstream. Many home and business owners are curious about solar electric and solar thermal systems, and wonder how to go about getting a clean energy generation system of their own. The vast majority will hire a professional installer to do the job. But what should they be asking of these installers? What system makes the most sense for their home or office: solar electric, solar hot water, solar heating, or some combination of these?

A Solar Buyer's Guide for the Home and Office explains the options so that property owners can make the right choices both for their energy needs and their financial security. Understanding how solar power systems work will enable readers to be informed customers when dealing with professional installers-the book also provides advice on how to select a qualified installer and understand the expanding variety of tax credits and other incentives that are popping up around the country.

The market for solar systems has been growing at an exponential rate and strong tax credits ensure continued growth even in a sluggish economy. Many of those who would like to catch this undeniable wave of the future are held back by widespread confusion. A Solar Buyer's Guide for the Home and Office clears the air, allowing property owners to move forward with confidence to make their homes and offices more comfortable, environmentally sound, and secure against wild swings in energy prices.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781603582612
Publisher:	Chelsea Green Publishing
Publication date:	10/07/2010
Pages:	176
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.40(h) x 0.50(d)

About the Author

Stephen and Rebekah Hren live in Durham, North Carolina, where they are both actively involved with renewable energy, natural building, and edible urban gardening. Rebekah works with Honey Electric Solar, Inc. as a professional designer/installer of photovoltaic systems and domestic solar hot water systems. She is a NABCEP-certified solar photovoltaic installer, licensed electrical contractor, and ISPQ-certified solar instructor for Solar Energy International. Stephen is a professional restoration carpenter, focusing on antebellum houses. He teaches natural building classes and workshops at the local community college, and in any spare time works with Bountiful Backyards, an edible landscaping cooperative. They are the authors of The Carbon-Free Home.

Stephen and Rebekah Hren live in Durham, North Carolina, where they are both actively involved with renewable energy, natural building, and edible urban gardening. Rebekah works with Honey Electric Solar, Inc. as a professional designer/installer of photovoltaic systems and domestic solar hot water systems. She is a NABCEP-certified solar photovoltaic installer, licensed electrical contractor, and ISPQ-certified solar instructor for Solar Energy International. Stephen is a professional restoration carpenter, focusing on antebellum houses. He teaches natural building classes and workshops at the local community college, and in any spare time works with Bountiful Backyards, an edible landscaping cooperative. They are the authors of The Carbon-Free Home.

Table of Contents

Introduction: Why Solar Energy? vii

1 Types of Solar 1

What Solar Can Do 1

Advantages of Solar Energy 3

Limitations of Solar Energy 5

Types of Solar Panels 6

Passive Solar Design and Other Solar Gizmos 11

2 What's Appropriate for Your Site 12

Solar Availability for Your Site 12

Getting Acquainted with Your Solar Window 14

The Solar Resource 16

Analyzing Your Solar Window 17

Altering Your Solar Window 19

Aesthetic Concerns 22

Solar Access Laws and the Rules of Your Neighborhood 22

The Condition of Your Roof 24

What If My Solar Window Stinks? 24

Understanding Your Current Energy Usage 25

What Types of Energy Does Your Home Use? 26

3 What's Appropriate for Your Budget 33

Energy as a Service 33

The Cost of Photovoltaic Systems 35

The Cost of Solar Hot Water Systems 36

The Cost of Solar Heating Systems 37

Other Solar Device Costs 39

Help Paying for Your System 39

What the Heck's a REC or a FIT? 43

The Federal Tax Credit 46

4 Getting Ready for the Installation 50

Step 1: Create a List of Qualified Contractors 50

Step 2: Thoroughly Vetting the Contractors on Your List 52

Step 3: Setting up the Site Visit 53

Step 4: Referrals 56

Step 5: Timeline 56

Step 6: Paperwork 57

Step 7: Installation Complete! 58

5 Solar Electric (Photovoltaic) Systems 60

Grid-Tied versus Off-Grid 62

How the Magic Happens: The Nuts and Bolts of Residential Solar Electric Systems 70

Details of the Three Types of Solar Electric Systems 76

6 Solar Hot Water 86

Exceptional Advantages of Solar Water Heaters 86

Types of Systems and Panels 89

The Big System Difference: Direct Gain or Heat Exchange? 89

Choosing the Collector: Flat-Plate or Evacuated Tube? 92

A More Detailed Look at How the Different Systems Operate 94

Solar Pool Heating 98

7 Solar Heating 105

The Four Types of Solar Space Heating 106

What's Best for Your Climate 108

Fundamental Differences between Passive and Active Solar Heating Options 109

One Last Difference: Radiant Heat versus Forced Air 111

Determining Your Climate Zone: Heating Degree Days and Winter Insolation 112

Making the Choice: Determining the Appropriate Solar Heating Option for Your Home 114

Getting Down to Business: The Nitty-Gritty of Your Solar Heating Installation 116

Evaluating Equipment and Installers for Solar Heating Systems 126

8 Everything Else Under the Sun 128

Solar Clothes Dryer 129

Cooking with the Sun 129

Tried and True Solar Ovens and Cookers and Where to Get Them 131

Lighting the Home and Cooling the Attic 134

Solar in the Yard 137

Distillation and Food Dehydration 139

Moving Water: Irrigation and Fountains 139

Solar Battery Chargers 140

Other "Solar" Appliances 140

9 The Future of Solar 143

Large-Scale Solar Thermal Technologies 144

Residential Applications 146

Index 149

About the Authors 153

Editorial Reviews

"Most people appreciate solar energy-much as they do motherhood and apple pie-but many do not know about the practical everyday uses of solar power. While they grasp the simple concepts, they are commonly confused by the intricacies of buying solar electricity, heating, and hot water systems. Hooray for this no-nonsense guide that makes this quagmire comprehensible!"--Johnny Weiss, Co-Founder and Executive Director, Solar Energy International

"A Solar Buyer's Guide for the Home and Office provides a detailed and clear overview of the many solar options available today to power and heat our homes and businesses. If you are confused about where to begin- or who to turn to for guidance and advice-this book is a great place to start. I highly recommend it."--Greg Pahl, author of The Citizen-Powered Energy Handbook: Community Solutions to a Global Crisis

"Once again, Stephen and Rebekah Hren have delivered an authoritative sourcebook. ...[T]heir Solar Buyer's Guide is a thorough, readable look at how we might turn to the sun to meet our energy needs. It delivers history, explains policy, and untangles the briar patch of the solar jungle. Thanks to this book, the path to sustainability is significantly less perilous: No machete required."--Lyle Estill, author of Small is Possible and Biodiesel Power

"Need a clear guide to approaching solar energy choices? Stephen and Rebekah Hren's new book will help you sift through the marketing hype and make sound decisions for your clean energy future."--Ian Woofenden, Senior Editor, Home Power Magazine, and author of Windpower for Dummies

From the Publisher

This is not the book to help you wade through the confusion and go solar. The husband-and-wife authors (The Carbon-Free Home) promote green living but don't make it easy. Their thorough information, detailed calculations, and jargon make the process seem intimidating. Lacking specific recommendations and gentle hand-holding, this guide is surpassed by Rex A. Ewing and Doug Pratt's Got Sun? Go Solar.

Library Journal